- While in Hassan district of Karnataka, Halebidu is one of the must visit places along with Belur’s popular Chennakeshava temple & one of the most popular jain pilgrimages in south India - Shravanbelagola . This post shares what is so interesting about Halebidu and some tips.
While I was at Halebidu, I was accompanied by some young photographers and I must say that Halebidu was one of the best places for them to try architecture photography. Apart from brilliant architecture, Halebidu offers great work of art on it's temples.
During my visit one of the guides also told that Belur & Halibidu are also proposed for UNESCO world heritage because of it's 10th century heritage.
Halebidu was regal capital of Hoysala Empire and that's the reason that Halebidu temples are considered as one of the best examples of Hoysala style architecture.
Hoysaleshawara & Kedareshwara temples are the most important places to visit and explore in Halebidu. Hoysaleshawara temple is simply known as Halebidu Temple & this one is dedicated to Shiva. This temple was built around a lake which was built by Hoysala king Vishvavardhana.
Although Halebidu temples are about Shaivism, but you can find good signs Vaishvnism, Saktism & even Jainism. This temple complex has 2 Nandis adjacent of the main temple. This temple is carved out of soapstone.
Outer walls of Halebidu temple has various narrations in form of carvings from Ramayana, Mahabharata & Bhagwata Purana. You can check more about Halebidu temples & it's carvings at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoysaleswara_Temple
These temples from Hoysala empire are certainly very good destinations for photographers & historians. Lot of devotees come to these temples because of faith but there are lot of historians, travellers and photographers who visit the temple.
Yagachi Dam is one of the main places to explore around Belur. This water reservoir is approximately 3 km away from Belur bus-stand and also known for water sports it offers. Yagachi river is a tributary of Kaveri river. It takes care of water requirements of Belur, Chitmanglur and Hassan.
Timings of boating at Yagachi Dam - 7am to 6:30pm
Cost of various watersport activities :
Speed Boat - 600 Rs (Max 4)
Banana Ride - 500 Rs (Max 6)
Jet Ski - 300 Rs per person
Kayaking - 200 Rs per person
Apart from watersports, one can watch interesting birds around the water, especially early in the morning and late evening.
There is a place called DoddaGaddavalli on the way from Hassan to Belur, which is famous for it's Lakshmidevi Temple, which is built with soap stone and one of the early temples built in Hoysala style. There is a lake near Lakshmidevi temple in Doddagaddivalli.
Another place called, Shravabelaboga in this region, is one of the most popular jain pilgrimage in South India. Supposedly this place has world's highest monolithic statue of Bahubali. This one is situated on a hill and one needs to climb for 20 minutes to reach the place where this statue is situated. This place is named after a water pond in the town which is called Bela-kola and that means white pond.
Check out this link to know more about the interesting places to explore around Halebidu and Hassan district.
.jpg)